Parallel ATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment or PATA) is a standard for connecting hard drives into computer systems. As its name implies, PATA is based on parallel signaling technology, unlike serial ATA (SATA) devices that use serial signaling technology. ... The cable for a SATA connection has seven conductors.

Are PATA cables still used?

Although SATA is a common storage interface standard today, you may still find a few PATA drives still used on legacy systems.

What is the difference between PATA and SATA cable?

Key Difference: SATA stands for Serial ATA, whereas PATA stands for Parallel ATA. They both refer to two different ways of encoding and transporting the data electronically. The data transfer speeds of SATA is higher than PATA. Unlike PATA devices, all SATA devices have 'hot swap' facility.